their neighborhoods, and they take care of their community and each other. It’s a generous community. They come together. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING? Campaigning is probably the hardest thing to do in City Council, from the beginning to the end. It’s just uncomfortable selling yourself. The job is way better than the campaigning part of it. THE EASIEST THING? I think being with the people. I enjoy that. I’m a social person. The easiest thing is connecting with people. WHAT ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER? The importance of making sure that you’re informed about the issues, that you read all the materials, that you communicate with your constituents about the issues. Being open minded and the importance of being a good listener.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR JENNIFER 20 questions with the former City Council member
D U R I N G T H E PAST E I G H T YEARS, City Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates created a sense of continuity in District 13 even as events in the city and nation became tumultuous. As City of Dallas term limits end her Council job this month, Staubach Gates talked with us about her time Downtown and what’s next on her personal agenda. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MISS? The regular interaction with the people
and the community, I think is what I’ll miss. The people at City Hall as well as the community. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS? There’s so much I’ve learned over my eight years. I think that the Preston Hollow residents are engaged. They care and love for their city. But they’re also resistant to change. The good part about it is they’re engaged and they care about
WHAT ARE YOUR REGRETS? One regret would be that we couldn’t come with a plan for the redevelopment of the Preston Center garage. That’s ongoing. I’m hopeful that a future council member might be able to come up with a compromise with the stakeholders and what the community desires for that area. We haven’t been able to approve a plan for that. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP? The importance of listening both to your constituents as well as to your colleagues. As a politician, it’s just really important that you’re honest, that you are a good communicator and to establish the trust. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY? Probably the opportunity to have a frontrow seat at some big city events or ribbon cuttings or openings. And able to take my grandchildren along to be able to show them what the city means to me and hope that I foster that same love in them, in my own kids and my grandkids, as well as a responsibility to give back. We’ve had some big, citywide initiatives I’ve been a part of,
Interview by RENEE UMSTED | Photography by DANNY FULGENCIO
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prestonhollow.advocatemag.com
JUNE 2021
